Another Electrician Killed/ELECTRICUTED!!

[brother]

This one really is close here. I know some people that work in that area. The ELECTRICUTION of this woman to me was just uncaused for!! She was working on light fixture maintenance . this is part of an email i got. also read the news link. When will we (ELECTRICIANS) learn and stick TOGETHER (stop layoffs, firings etc..) to stop the forcing of working HOT!!??

IBEW Local 46 Electrician, Kat Engnell, was killed at work,Thursday, November 20, 2008, during the day shift at the SaintGobain glass plant. Kat was up on a metal platform, like acatwalk, doing lighting maintenance. It is normal to work on equipment up there while it is still ?hot?, unfortunately, while Kat was changing out a 500W 120V fixture, after making sure that the ground and neutrals had both been made up, she was electrocuted and died. ?She was found by a Local 46 Brotherworking on sight who stayed with her body until the fire crewgot her down and took her away.....

read this article too.


http://www.kirotv.com/news/18027219/detail.html#

 

[e57]

Not trying to question your credibility - or the tragic circumstances that led to a death - but the story you linked and picture with it seem to indicate that she was working on something of much more considerable potenial - in the KV range, not a simple light bulb swapper type injury.

http://www.kirotv.com/image/18027294/detail.html

 

[brother]

Not trying to question your credibility - or the tragic circumstances that led to a death - but the story you linked and picture with it seem to indicate that she was working on something of much more considerable potenial - in the KV range, not a simple light bulb swapper type injury.

http://www.kirotv.com/image/18027294/detail.html

I thought that picture looked odd as well. But that is the email i got, I see no reason for anyone to lie about something like that nor do i have a reason to make anything up. Its just a safety reminder to us(myself included) to use ppe and not to work hot unless its 'infeasible' to shut down.

I dont know if she had kids or not, but thats too young to be getting electricuted/killed, something completely avoidable. I bet they have a 'no hot work' policy now enforced.

 

[K8MHZ]

From her hall's website:

http://www.ibew46.org/kat.html

Sad. My condolances to her family.

 

[brother]

This is soo sad, its thanksgiving and this family is going to be without her. a 500w 120 system, basically she killed with less than 5 amps. I see that picture from the website, my sympathy to the family.

 

[George Stolz]

My condolences to her family, it is sad.

To turn to the technicalities,

This is soo sad, its thanksgiving and this family is going to be without her. a 500w 120 system, basically she killed with less than 5 amps. I see that picture from the website, my sympathy to the family.

What difference does the load of the fixture make in this situation?

If she was exposed to 120v, then it would take a fraction of an amp to kill her.

 

[don_resqcapt19]

It is very sad and my thoughts and prayers are with her family.
It is very disappointing to see the following words posted on the LU 46 site.

It is normal to work on equipment up there while it is still ‘hot’, ...

 

[brother]

My condolences to her family, it is sad.

To turn to the technicalities,

What difference does the load of the fixture make in this situation?

If she was exposed to 120v, then it would take a fraction of an amp to kill her.

It makes not difference at all, and i agree a half of an amp can kill ya!! I was doing/posting that to emphasize a point because beleive it or not there are still electricians that think that it takes alot of amps to kill. I just did a little math to show it does NOT!!

 

[steelersman]

It makes not difference at all, and i agree a half of an amp can kill ya!! I was doing/posting that to emphasize a point because beleive it or not there are still electricians that think that it takes alot of amps to kill. I just did a little math to show it does NOT!!

a lot less than half an amp can kill you.

 

[ItsHot]

I am sorry to hear of this loss! With all the safety practices in place it is alarming to know how many electricians still work equipment hot.

 

[Rockyd]

Condolences to her family.

Another terrible loss in the electrical community.

It doesn't take much to allow one to "check out off the planet.
Consider the following -


Electric Shock Values

1. Electrical Sensation. Tingle sensation occurs at about 0.25 to 0.5 mA for an adult female and between 0.50 and 1 mA for an adult male.

2. Uncomfortable Sensation. Current over 1 - 2 mA is very uncomfortable to both sexes.

3. Maximum Let-Go Level. The maximum Let Go Threshold level for a female is approximately - 9 mA and for a male it is about - 15 mA.

The "Let Go" Threshold is the current level where we lose control of our muscles and the electricity causes muscles to contract until the current is removed.

According to the IEEE Std. 80, the maximum safe shock duration can be determined by the formula Seconds = 0.116/(E/R), where R (resistance of person) is assumed to be 1000 ohms.

For a 120V circuit the maximum shock duration = 0.116/(120V/1000) = 1 Second
For a 277V circuit the maximum shock duration = 0.116/(277V/1000) = 0.43 Second

For whole article by Mike Holt see Electrical Shock Hazard

 

[76nemo]

Guys,....COME ON! I know you would like to press the limit on how much juice one can take without being fatal, but now is not the time to do it. Take a minute and give your time to this women, (Katharina).

I give my condolences. Sounded like a great worker, one we don't always run by.




Rest in peace.

 

[Rockyd]

I, in no way am trying to be disrespectful of the woman, or her family, quite the opposite. I can't emphasize how much familiarity breeds complacency. I posted the shock value, so that people may understand how little it takes to immobilize a person. I can't undo what has been done, but if I can make a comment that can save a life by passing on facts that will cause others to re-evaluate a situation, then yes, I will say it.

Prayers for Kat Engnell and her family.

 

[George Stolz]

Guys,....COME ON! I know you would like to press the limit on how much juice one can take without being fatal, but now is not the time to do it.

Simmer down.

It is entirely appropriate to post information relevant to electrical shock - which is why I posted to this thread originally. Her death represents exactly why we have this conversation, to try to prevent others from following in her footsteps.

The cautionary message to be said here is this could happen to you.

 

[weressl]

Who is responsible?

Who is responsible?

Simmer down.

It is entirely appropriate to post information relevant to electrical shock - which is why I posted to this thread originally. Her death represents exactly why we have this conversation, to try to prevent others from following in her footsteps.

The cautionary message to be said here is this could happen to you.

Isn't one of the primary rule for ANY live work that you don't do it alone? If she was required to do it alone by management, then the IBEW should have stepped up to protest unsafe working conditions. If she was a victim of her own error, then it should be a warning for all of us who come into contact with live exposure. She was relatively green in the trade and I just wonder if she 'learned' what is safe and what is not by watching others and have learned practice that is really not true.

The are was an arc-flash incident I was investigating where an electrician of 20 years reached into an open bus MCC to loosen the screw that secures the bucket's position onto the bus. He used uninsulated screwdriwer, no gloves and no faceshield. At the end of the MCC the PPE requirement chart was posted. The screwdriver slipped and the saft and tip made contact between one of the uninsulated phase bus and grounded structure of the MCC. He suffered some relatively minor burns. Shouldn't he had known better? Regardless how much safety rules there are, ignoring them won't keep you safe.

 

[76nemo]

Sorry, didn't mean to sound like I was in an uproar for any reason. I guess what I meant was if we were on the subject of Katharina, we should respectfully keep it to the fact that we all lost something here, and not ride off on the cons of hot work. Butttttt again, you all made your point, and it's understood.